E3: Metroid Prime 2

During the next few days, post new E3 pics and info from various games that are shown with "E3:" before the title of the game for future reference. Makes it easier searching through the archive down the line. :)

To start things off here's a first look at the MP2 booth at E3, and as you can see the title is official. Ah well, at least the logo looks cool.

http://www.e3insider.com/photos/photoPax/large/Nintendos-Lighting-Designer.jpg

Yes, it does...

Look at those logos in the background, the one on the way left and the one right under Four Swords. The one on the left looks like it says Donkey Kong... maybe for the GBA port of DKC2. The right one... I can't tell. And see that crane-type thing on wheels? That must be the DS! WOO! :lol:

Umm, and you know this how... :)

No, I mean the actual crane on wheels is the DS. It's no pansy pocket-sized handheld, that's for certain!

Ah... :)

It's the new ROB!

I see the Geist logo in the background too.

Yes.

Another booth pic, this time with what looks like a Zelda logo (maybe Minish Cap or WW2?) and Donkey Kong... Jungle... Mix... maybe (Donkey Konga renamed, I'm sure). But what's that big thing in the middle?

http://images.1up.com/imageapp/large_image/7/l_dsc00793_sid126679.jpg

Some more:

http://images.1up.com/imageapp/large_image/7/l_dsc00794_sid126679.jpg

Could someone use photoshop for the above pic to see what's being shown on the small monitors in the way back?

http://images.1up.com/imageapp/large_image/7/l_dsc00795_sid126679.jpg

I tried to find out what it says, but it's just too small.

Only... one... day... LEFT!

Woo!!!

A better pic of the logo, as well as Samus' cool, albeit slight redesign.

http://www.gcadvanced.com/images/games/mp2.jpg

Cool logo.

Yes, cool logo...

http://cube.ign.com/articles/513/513329p1.html

What an incredible trailer. GOTY 2004 WOO!!

The trailer does look cool, but it still looks just like the first game, and seems to play like it too... oh well, MP is a pretty good game to copy. :)

Why the hell would you complain about something like that?

Oh and I forgot to mention that the screw attack has returned!

Yes, it says so in the preview I linked... :)

Yeah I saw it during the live conference stream but forgot to mention it. You didn't either.

Instead I linked the preview. I didn't read it all though, but zooming out is obviously the right choice. Some people would get sick if every jump you spun quickly in circles... :) (and it'd be hard to aim jumps, too...)

Yes.

but it still looks just like the first game, and seems to play like it too...

That's not a bad thing!

Oh and I forgot to mention that the screw attack has returned!

Alright!

IGN has a MP2 intereview (http://cube.ign.com/articles/514/514185p1.html) up, and here are some of the more interesting quotes:


May 12, 2022 - We're smack-dab in the middle of the Electronics Entertainment Expo 2004. A full level of Metroid Prime 2: Echoes is playable at Nintendo's booth. We meet the game's producer Kensuke Tanabe shortly after lunch and he brings us up to date on the first-person adventure sequel.

In case you're wondering, Tanabe joined Nintendo Japan in 1986 and worked for the company's Entertainment, Analysis and Development (EAD) group up until last year. He directed Super Mario 2 on the Nintendo Entertainment System and then worked on A Link to the Past on Super NES. He later worked on Star Wars Shadows of the Empire on Nintendo 64. He oversaw the production of Metroid Prime and is currently entrenched in the creation of the sequel.
Following, our interview:

IGN: Are you based in Texas now or do you work out of NCL in Japan?

Kensuke Tanabe: At NCL in Japan.

IGN: What is the goal of Metroid Prime 2? What is the game really about?

Kensuke Tanabe: Our obvious goal is to build another game for people who enjoyed Metroid Prime -- just an enjoyable game to play for people who loved the franchise.


IGN: Why is the game called Metroid Prime 2: Echoes? Does this relate to the new visor mode that lets you see sound?

Kensuke Tanabe: There is going to be an Echo Visor and you're right that it does let you see sound in certain ways, but that is not where the name came from. The name itself refers to the two planets existing simultaneously and that each one is an echo of the other.



IGN: Will there be any link functionality between Metroid Prime 2 and the Nintendo DS Metroid Prime Hunters?

Kensuke Tanabe: No, there's no plan to have any connectivity between the DS and GameCube.



IGN: Speaking of the screw attack, how does it work and can you execute it any time you want?

Kensuke Tanabe: Once you get the item that allows you to do the screw attack you can do it wherever you want. But it's designed to allow you to wall-jump up chasms and things like that.

IGN: Can it also used as a weapon?

Kensuke Tanabe: It's not one-hundred percent finalized yet, but our feeling now is that it's not really designed to be a weapon, but more of an exploratory device.




IGN: We came across 'hacking mode' in the multiplayer demo, but we didn't have time to figure out what it's use was. What's it for?

Kensuke Tanabe: That's a multiplayer feature. In multiplayer mode there's really no place to use the visor, but they really wanted to so this was their solution. Through scanning you can infect your opponent with the virus and that makes the character take damage.

IGN: How will the game's storyline be delivered? Will there be more cut-scenes or voice work?

Kensuke Tanabe: We don't have any voice or narrative planned. However, I believe there are more cut-scenes in this game than in the previous game. But the scan visor is used to drive the story elements as well.


IGN: We take it that Dark Samus will be a prominent figure in the game, always hunting Samus.

Kensuke Tanabe: [Laughs] I've had that question a bunch, actually. In the video we released, Dark Samus is featured really prominently, but in the game not as much as the video suggests. The role of Dark Samus is not limited to a hunter or the hunted. It's more mysterious than that.


IGN: How big would you say the game is overall?

Kensuke Tanabe: I haven't played it from beginning to end, so I can't give you a definitive answer. But I think it's pretty close to the first one -- roughly the same amount of gameplay.


IGN: Have you focused at all on Samus Aran's bounty hunter aspect? Have you implemented anything in the game which spotlights this particular side of the character?

Kensuke Tanabe: We didn't really focus on anything to do with Samus as a bounty hunter more than we have in other games. Other than that she's a hired gun and she comes to the planet for a reason. People looking for the bounty hunter aspect should probably look at the Nintendo DS title Metroid Prime Hunters.


IGN: Who is developing the DS game?

Kensuke Tanabe: It's not Retro. They obviously have some Retro assets though. If Mr. Iwata says okay, then I can tell you.

[Editor's note: IGN has learned that Hideki Konno, deputy manager at EAD and producer of Metroid Prime Hunters, is also working with N-Space on Geist. It's therefore possible that N-Space could also be the developer of Metroid Prime Hunters. We have not yet been able to confirm that possibility.]



Cool, looks like the multiplayer will be more than just straight-up deathmatch. And those are some very interesting comments regarding Dark Samus. I'm definitely looking forward to finding out what that is all about.

It's interesting that he said that you should look forward to the DS game for a bounty hunting aspect, so perhaps the single-player game will be more non-linear than regular Metroid titles? I'd love that, to fly around from planet to planet, collecting bounties and stuff.

And N-Space working on Hunters... interesting.

New screens:

http://cubemedia.ign.com/cube/image/article/513/513361/metroid-prime-2-echoes-200405110037115.jpg

http://cubemedia.ign.com/cube/image/article/513/513361/metroid-prime-2-echoes-200405110037146.jpg

http://cubemedia.ign.com/cube/image/article/513/513361/metroid-prime-2-echoes-200405110037490.jpg

http://cubemedia.ign.com/cube/image/article/513/513361/metroid-prime-2-echoes-200405110036709.jpg

http://cubemedia.ign.com/cube/image/article/513/513361/metroid-prime-2-echoes-200405110036912.jpg

http://cubemedia.ign.com/cube/image/article/513/513361/metroid-prime-2-echoes-200405110036177.jpg]

http://cubemedia.ign.com/cube/image/article/513/513361/metroid-prime-2-echoes-200405110036521.jpg

http://cubemedia.ign.com/cube/image/article/513/513361/metroid-prime-2-echoes-200405110036459.jpg

http://cubemedia.ign.com/cube/image/article/513/513361/metroid-prime-2-echoes-200405110036396.jpg

http://cubemedia.ign.com/cube/image/article/513/513361/metroid-prime-2-echoes-200405110036334.jpg

Simply gorgeous:
http://cubemedia.ign.com/cube/image/article/513/513361/metroid-prime-2-echoes-200405110036147.jpg

http://cubemedia.ign.com/cube/image/article/513/513361/metroid-prime-2-echoes-200405110036537.jpg

http://cubemedia.ign.com/cube/image/article/513/513361/metroid-prime-2-echoes-200405110036365.jpg

http://cubemedia.ign.com/cube/image/article/513/513361/metroid-prime-2-echoes-200405110036725.jpg



http://cubemedia.ign.com/cube/image/article/513/513361/metroid-prime-2-echoes-200405110037271.jpg

If there's one thing I hope they change with MP2, it's the blaster sound effect. It sounded too airgun-ish, and I much prefer the Super Metroid/Fusion/ZM blaster effects.

Screw Attack not a weapon? Huh?

From what he said, I'm sure it can be used as a weapon, but it's mainly for exploration. That's basically what the screw attack in Super Metroid did, right? It allowed Samus to hover vertically.

Yeah, it wasn't really used as a weapon that much in SM.

That's the space jump. The screw attack is... an attack. The crazy lightning buzzing screw thingy.

But doesn't it also allow you to hover vertically? With the space jump, you'd have to get a running start and quickly kneel if you wanted to jump high. If I remember correctly (it's been years), the screw attack allowed you to hover upwards without that running start, which could only be performed in nice, long corridors.

No the space jump is the one that allowed you to flip and continuously jump vertically without touching any platform, and the screw attack is similar to that but easier to perform and you also kill enemies with an electrical shock.

The screw attack simply electrifies Samus Aran as she somersaults. Making your entire body a weapon. No increased jumping abilities.

The Space Jump let Samus somersault indefinetly so that you're essentially flying. (In MP, the Space Jump just let you jump twice while in the air). But if you only used the Space Jump upgrade, you could be knocked out of the air easily with a single enemy hit. Using the Screw Attack along with the Space Jump basically made you impervious. In fact it's a great move to have when fighting a boss as it gives you the ability to become invincible (but cannot use missiles or beam weapons) and destroy any smaller creatures or projectiles around you.

It sounds to me like they're refering to the Space Jump/Screw combo that will let Samus get to extremely high platforms and burst through special cielings and walls.

I'd also like to see the Speed Booster come back, that would be insane. The Speed Booster was originally intended to let Samus run through certain walls and make huge jumps off of ramps, and make huge jumps that are ladden with obsticals (as long you had the Screw Attack). But the Speed Booster allowed you to do a secret move; the Shine Spark Jump :D And in Fusion and Zero Mission, you need to understand Shine Sparking in order to get 100% but also just to get to later areas. If we could Shine Spark in 3-D... *fills pants*

New info from ign! Echoes takes place in between Prime and Metroid 2, so essentially it's Metroid 1.75. There will be plenty of morph ball sections and puzzles, and there are more cinematics this time around. Dark Samus isn't the same thing as SA-X as you hunt her in some parts as well, but there's a far greater mystery to her and I think anyone who got the good ending in Prime knows what part of that is. The story sounds interesting and the multiplayer sounds great, you guys should read some of those E3 impressions.

Gonna be an amazing game!

Its kind of cliche that the Dark World is automatically the bad guys, hehe. Maybe the plot will have some twists to them.

Damned it, even after they are implementing multiplayer as a shooter, according to Gamerfeed, freaking Nintendo still won't adopt the FPS control scheme to make the game more ergonomic... what the hell ? Thats the one thing that distracted from Metroid Prime being absolutely flawless.

Because its Metroid they say ? I think they're just being needlessly obstinate on some fine points.

I think the MP control scheme worked perfectly.

The Prime control scheme was flawless for the type of game it was. If you want a FPS go play Halo.

Yes, I agree. It worked great for Metroid, and the game isn't an FPS. I wouldn't want them to change it. Though giving the choice might be a good idea for complainers like N_A here... and I always like the option to remap controls...

It's cliche, but it's also instinctual. In the dark, you can't see, so if there's something there, you can't defend yourself. In the light, you can see, so if there's something there, you CAN defend yourself. To see this sort of thing in action, you need only go to Africa and listen to the lore many of the traditional and... I suppose "untainted" is the only word I can think of, tribes have about night time. It's generally considered a bad time, while day is a time of hope and good.

Anyway, if they ever decided to make the dark the good side and the light the evil side, it would just be the same thing, only it would be that sort of fake "innovation" that insults your intelligence. The sort of thing any 10 year old would think up to be clever. However, it may just be that the light and dark sides have nothing to do with good and evil. That would certainly be an option. Reversing it though would just be stupid. The reason no one does it these days is BECAUSE all the story writers realize how stupid it is.

Anyway, the screw attack is certainly something I'll look forward to seeing in action. I imagine it'll let you demolish walls. lazy, I have to say that while that amazing attack did basically let me wander through a LOT of places killing everything I touched, I was still vulnerable enough to anything as strong as I was to say I didn't feel completely invincible.

Nothing wrong with MP's controls but I agree with ABF, fully customizable controls are never a bad thing.

Nintendo seems to hate them though. I can't remember one Nintendo game with customizable controls... not too smart, IMO.

There are a lot of games that lack customizable controls though. Some Nintendo games have them, such as Metroid 3, but most just don't because it's not really needed. What sort of change could one ask for in Super Mario Bros for instance? Nothing that would justify the effort spent in programming in the ability to change the controls to that at any rate. Mega Man too doesn't really need much in the way of customizing. In fact, the first 2D one I can think of that allowed even an alternate control MODE (ala the lock-on mode in OOT), was Megaman Zero and the various ways to use secondary weapons.

Speaking of, one small change would be nice for both GBA Metroid games. They shoudl give the same option MMZ had for secondary fire. Either mode a, where one holds the missile button to fire missiles. Or, mode b, where one presses the missile button to go into missile firing mode, then presses it again to revert. No holding there. I MUCH prefer mode b most of the time. Just a minor gripe really, it's just annoying to have to hold down the missile button throughout all boss battles.

You guys have to see the new movies IGN put up, they show a bit of the Echo visor (very very cool) and the screw attack. The music in the Echo visor movie is incredible, kinda like the credits to Metroid Prime (by far the best track in the game IMO).

Yeah, the first Metroid's scheme of pressing select to enter missile mode was awesome.

The question begs to be asked with all this talk of Space Jumping and Screw Attacking; How do you recreate Samus Aran's trademark somersault in a first person game? if it stays first person, we'll all get sick. So maybe it will go to third person. But that theory wouldn't work because Samus somersaults to activate the Space Jump and Screw Attack, so the game wont go 3rd person every time you jump, right? It could have designated areas that go 3rd person, telling you "you need to use the Screw Attack here and see what you're doing" while any other time you use it, it stays in the first person mode and makes you sick.

In Metroid Prime, Samus never somersaulted except in cut scenes. In first person, she only jumped straight up and at angles, never somersaulting (while jumping, you could always use your beam weapons). If they do that, with a "bzzz bzzz bzzz" sound effect and maybe some flashy lights it would get the point across and you could do it while in first person mode. But to me, I would rather see her actually somersaulting. Space Jumping/Screw Attacking and still be able to shoot? Crazy talk.

Here's an idea they could use to get it done;

Using the control stick and the jump button you jump as you did in Metroid Prime (straight up).

Using the control stick, while holding a 'run' button, then pressing jump will send Samus in to a somersault (briefly make you sick, but get more distance in your jump).

Once you get the Space Jump/Screw Attack combo and perform a somersault 3 times in mid air, the game automatically goes to 3rd person directly behind Samus. As soon as you land, it reverts to first person.

Kinda clunky, but it would work. Once you acquire the Space Jump/Screw Attack you would just hold the run button and tap the jump button 3 times quickly and boom, you're 3rd person, which would only last while you're in the air to reach a high platform, etc.

An alternative would be that the Space Jump/Screw Attack has to be activated just like the Morph Ball. You tap X for Morphball mode, press and hold X to enter Space Jump/Screw Attack mode, in both modes it becomes 3rd person and does not go back to first person until the mode is deactivated. Now when you jump, you can ONLY somersault and you cannot use beam or missile weapons, instead relying on the screw attack to destroy enemies and the Space Jump to reach previousely unobtainable items or reach extremely high platforms. This method would work rather well I think as it would give the player full control and would bring the "acrobatics" feel from the traditional games to Metroid in 3-D.

What do you guys think?

Your answer is right here (http://media.cube.ign.com/media/499/499105/vid_838867.html?mu=http%3A%2F%2Fc.streamingmovies.ign.com%2Fcube%2Farticle%2F516%2F516017%2Fmetroidprime2_051404_1_wmvlow.wmv).

:yipes:

... ... ...

Fucking awesome.

Splitting day and night into desirable and undesirable or good and evil I think is kind of cliche. I guess what I'm getting at is that its a conflict, but not necessarily where either one is good or bad, or it might be a conflict where both of them are tainted in some way. Day and night are 2 sides of a day's cycle. The day has its own dangers as much as the night has its dangers. While Africans do have those myths about the night, they would be the best to know that while night time has plenty of nocturnal creatures, it is a good time because the atmosphere cools down. While the day time is safer in terms of predators, the blistering heat alone can kill you as well. In fact from what I have learned, its traditional for many Africans to just give up and take a nice long rest or nap at noon and afternoon into the evening and resume work on the farm then when it cools down. That similar tradition was said to be an influence when slaves were brought over to the south to work in similar hot and humid conditions in the fields.

Now as to the controls. I don't really care if its an first person adventure. Hell, Half Life and Deux Ex were kind of first person adventures. The idea is that there was plenty of fragging in Metroid Prime, HL, and DE. An FPS style control would have only made Metroid Prime a little easier to control and move around as well as shoot. And in Metroid Prime 2, its even got a multiplayer that involves fragging. Its more reason for an FPS style control. Lock on is like auto aim in Golden Eye and Perfect Dark... its cheese in multi.

Metroid Prime's controls are incredibly simple, I have no idea why people think that adding dual analog support would make it easier to control. You move with one stick and aiming is automatic. Adding another stick and making it play like Halo would not be beneficial for Prime's gameplay. The levels are designed around the fact that you don't need to strafe while running, they are either straight or curved. Strafing is only necessary for fighting, and it's automatic.

That is so cool, do you see how her first jump touches the wall? Samus performs a wall jump! She grabs the wall and jumps off of it, the rest of the jumps are in mid air!

Now the question is how does it work.

As you approach the the opening to the vertical hall,

A.) does the camera automatically change when you make your first jump in the room? This would mean that some rooms will automatically change the camera angles for you.

B.) Is it that once you grab the Space Jump/Screw Attack, EVERY jump you make switches to 3rd person?

C.) In the lower right hand corner (where the beams were in MP) there are strange symbols. The one that's currently activated in that movie is an orange ball with a circle around it, which resembles Samus in a Screw Attack. So could it be that you have to activate the Space Jump/Screw Attack and then all your jumps are 3rd person?

But if those symbols aren't beams, then... where's the beams? Is it going to be more traditional in that the beam upgrades you acquire are integrated in to one progressive beam? if that's the case, then you wouldn't switch between Power beam and Wave beam, your arm cannon would simply upgrade to fire Power + Wave beam, then Power + Wave + Ice, and so on. No switching of beams would be needed.

I'm betting on C. This is fucking awesome, thank you so much Nintendo.

Edit: Thank you for the link, OB1 :)

I aim to please.

I please to aim.

Yes N_A, good points all. I just thought you meant they should invert which one was good or evil, which is something I hear all too often from some people. You and I agree it certainly wouldn't be a bad idea to just take the good evil part out of it if they wanted to, but inversion just isn't very creative at all.

I please to aim.

I knew you'd say that!!! :carrot:

Well, duh, because the last time you said "I aim to please" I said "I please to aim". :p

2 things could happen

1.) Dark Samus is an echo of Samus. So, Dark Samus IS Samus, and is not evil. But simply a state of Samus that will fight you because she sees you as the outsider and not herself.

2.) Dark Samus is the essense of the Metroid Prime. In which case it would be very evil

Tha planet has two versions, one light (reality) one dark (the echo). I think the echo plane is more metaphysical in that it makes the hidden or the historical value in to palpable objects. So a location that had a lot of blood shed during a war could be a beautiful forest today, but in the echoed world it would be a mass grave soaked in blood with the spirits of those that were killed guarding it.

Does that make sense? I dont think it's a good Vs. Evil idea in that respect. It's just the way this planet is.

Well they did mention that its more of a physical split, in that the planet they are on suffered some kind of catastrophe that split the planet into halves that I guess still kind of rotate around their respective sun in proximity to one another. My guess is that the light side is always faced towards the sun while the dark side is always faced away from the sun, or revolves around the sun in such a way that the light side is constantly eclipsing the dark side.

Its a wonder how people on that planet can survive a catastrophe that broke the planet up like that. Perhaps they were at a level of advance enough to create technology to help them survive amidst all the natural disasters that would have followed something like that, who knows...

Maybe it's held together because of some kind of technology?

But that makes sense though, that's why there's pictures of Samus using a big warp gate. She's going from one half of the planet to the other. But I thought I read that the planet actually makes physical echoes?

I don't know why they'd create an all-new echo Samus for Prime 2 when the ending of Prime 1 shows a dark Samus emerging from the ground.

Maybe Samus's armor wasn't the only Chozo armor ever made or that survived, or variant for that matter.

Like a prototype. That would be cool.

But it makes more sense like OB1 said that it's Metroid Prime using the Phazon suit.